1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for folding a web-like member formed of a plastic film or the like into sections of a predetermined length in a Z-shaped manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, plastic bags have been utilized in large quantities as wrapping materials because the plastic bags can be mass produced sanitarily and inexpensively. Furthermore, there has been proposed a construction wherein a member in which plastic bags described above are continuously arranged (hereinafter referred to as a "plastic continuous bag-shaped member" or simply as a "continuous bag-shaped member") are folded in a Z-shaped manner, contained in a cardboard box or the like and each section of the plastic bags can be taken out one section after another in the same manner as in the case of pop-up take-out tissue paper (Japanese Patent Kokai (Laid-Open) Nos. 96948/82, 142872/82 and Japanese Patent Application No. 194404/81).
Now, as the apparatus for folding the continuous bag-shaped member in a Z-shaped manner, there have been proposed by the present applicant apparatuses, each of which comprising a folded end holding member linearly movable at least from one side in the widthwise direction of the web-shaped member of the respective folded end positions of the continuous bag-like member as being the web-shaped member to the folded end position and vice versa and a web-shaped member supplying mechanism for supplying the web-shaped member for alternately guiding the web-shaped member around the folded end holding member while reciprocating in the longitudinal direction of the web-shaped member between the folded end positions in a rectilinear or a circularly arcuate manner (both of which correspond to U.S. application Ser. No. 456,228 filed Jan. 7, 1983) (Japanese Patent Application Nos. 7125/82, and 9788/82 (both of which correspond to U.S. application Ser. No. 456,228 filed Jan. 7, 1983) and 1886/83). The folding apparatuses thus proposed have been advantageous in that there is no possibility of damageing the web-shaped member, and moreover, the web-shaped member can be folded reliably and at high speed. However, since the supplying mechanism reciprocates between the folding end positions, it has been difficult to prevent the folded end holding member from colliding with the supplying mechanism. Furthermore, it has also been difficult in that the supplying mechanism and the holding member are operated by a common driving source. Needless to say, the proposed apparatuses have obviated the above-described difficulties, however, the constructions of the apparatuses as a whole have been complicated.